Her
by BlossomingThought
Summary: He remembered her as the ditzy, polka dotted panty girl from high school who he was madly in love with. Losing contact with her after graduation, he thought he might never see her again. And now, here she was sitting on a chair next to a comatose patient in his charge. Her hand held tight to the patient's which fashioned a wedding band matching her own. AU
1. Chapter 1

**Synopsis:** He remembered her as the ditzy, polka dotted panty girl from high school who he was madly in love with. Losing contact with her after graduation, he thought he might never see her again. And now, here she was sitting on a chair next to a comatose patient in his charge. Her hand held tight to the patient's which fashioned a wedding band matching her own. AU

 **Beginning Note** : New Short Story!

 **Disclaimer** : Gakuen Alice belongs to Higuchi Tachibana.

Medical Terminology Used

MD: medical doctor

OR: operation room

ICU: intensive care unit

* * *

 **Part One**

* * *

He had been MIA for ten years, cutting all communication he had with friends and acquaintances alike. It was better that way. They didn't need to surround themselves with a person like him.

He was selfish: only looking for the benefits in life and ignoring the rewards that would come from doing things simply out of the goodness of his heart.

He was cruel: having done so many terrible things to the people in his life that caused them to see him for the person he knew deep down he truly was.

He didn't care about anyone. It was ironic that he had fallen into the interest of medicine and began a career as an MD, doing the very thing he hated to do . . . helping people.

He was an enigma.

"Dr. Hyuuga!" a panicked voiced called out from the distance.

The one addressed, snapped out of his musings and flipped his head in the direction of the voice. A nurse in pink scrubs came rushing down the hallway, strands of hair flying out of her once neat ponytail. She inhaled heavily, trying to catch her breath and flicked her worrisome filled eyes in the direction of her superior.

"We have one coming in who is in dire need of an emergency operation!" the nurse exclaimed. "He's being taken to the OR at this moment!"

The doctor nodded and they both proceeded to rush to the OR to do the necessary procedure.

Four hours.

It had taken four hours to do complete the operation due to the great damages his new patient was suffering. It was noted by one of the nurses that this particular individual flew in via helicopter because of a catastrophic accident involving him running off the cliff. He was so badly damaged to the point where recognition deemed impossible in the event that his loved ones would visit. He was transferred to the ICU once it was announced that he was comatose and needed life support until his awakening.

The doctor walked into the patient's room as the staff set up the proper arrangements for the necessary equipment to be plugged in. Another nurse came up to him and handed him a clipboard which contained the patient's information that included his current status and diagnosis.

"We checked pockets in search of an identification card and found his driver's license and unlocked phone. I've already called the first person on his speed dial and she said she'll be here soon."

He nodded and looked over the assessment handed to him. Almost immediately, he felt his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach upon seeing the very familiar name written clearly on the page.

 _Nogi, Ruka_

It couldn't be. The life that he left behind was catching up to him.

His eyes quickly flashed to the person on the bed and a sweat trickled down his cheek as he carefully observed.

"Ruka," he spoke softly, unaware of the way the people watching his every move. He pulled a chair beside the bed and slowly sat down, the reality of the situation causing his head to spin.

"Are you alright sir?" the nurse inquired in curiosity.

"Hn," he grunted in response and waved everyone in the room away.

"Alright sir," the nurse bowed and left the room with the remaining staff.

It was just them two left, noise from the ventilation machine being the only thing disturbing the silence. He sighed, witnessing the terrible condition a piece of his past was in. The still person had tubing in his nose and bandages all over his body. Pillows at his back kept him elevated to promote proper air flow into his weak lungs. All in all, it was quite a depressing site.

"Dammit," the doctor cursed under his breath. He abruptly stood up and left the room.

* * *

"Where is my husband?!"

"Ma'am, please calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down! Where the hell is my husband?!"

"I'll let you know but you need to lower your voice please."

There was a commotion at the nurse's station and the doctor rushed over to see what was happening. It was late at night, patients were sleeping and therefore the noise needed to be controlled ASAP.

His feet jogged to the station but slowed down as the person causing all the ruckus came into view.

 _Thump._

His heart began picking up pace.

 _Thump. Thump. Thump._

"It's alright ma'am. The doctor is here to take you to your husband," one of his nurses reassured the panicked woman.

The person standing by the station whipped her head around, long brunette hair swishing, and turned to look at the person servicing her. Her hazel eyes widened in surprised as she met the burning crimson iris staring hopelessly into her own.

"Natsume," she whispered, her hand shakily brought to her open mouth.

Natsume listened to her voice, the melodic voice he missed hearing all these years and shut his lids, nostalgia hitting him hard. His opened them and cleared his throat, willing himself to speak to her in an appropriate manner.

"I take it that you're Mrs. Nogi?" he asked, ignoring the distraught that flashed across her face. He was purposely keeping it professional, just as his job entailed. There was no need to give her reason to believe he would fully acknowledge her as someone important in his past.

The brunette nodded timidly and brought her hand down, soon trailing behind as he motioned her to follow his lead. They stood in front of the room to which had the label of the patient's name outside the door. Natsume turned the knob and allowed the brunette to enter inside.

"He's stable at the moment but his overall condition depends on if he wakes up or not," he informed her.

"Thank you," she replied as she intertwined her fingers with the limp hand resting on the bed. Tears were brimming the corners of her eyes and she began to sob. "Oh god, what am I going to do?"

In her state of distress, Natsume couldn't help but want to reach out and comfort her, wrapping his arms around her body until her uncontrollable sobbing had ceased.

But he knew better not to, no matter how difficult it was.

"Will you be staying here overnight?" he suddenly asked, trying to distract himself although it wasn't working.

"I think I ought to," came the soft reply. "Do you have any extra blankets you could spare?"

"Yes Mrs. Nogi. I'll go fetch you one," Natsume said, again with the formality, and walked over to the door. He paused when he heard his name called but didn't turn around as he listened to the next few words.

"I'm not a stranger . . . please call me Mikan."

The tight grip on the handle he didn't know he had was reduced and he closed the door behind him. His fingers curled into his palms and formed into a clenched fist as he struggled to remain calm.

This woman would be his undoing.

* * *

She had only stayed in the hospital for two nights before deciding to check herself into a hotel nearby. It was a daily routine for her to visit the hospital every morning and leave during the late evening. Some of the nurses on the clock advised her to make sure she was maintaining her own health but the brunette was relentless. She cared more about the comatose man than her own wellbeing and therefore wanted to be there for him to help in every which way she could.

"You need to get some rest," some told her but she merely replied with a small smile and turned her attention back to her husband, reading him stories she bought from the gift shop.

Aside from the times when he needed to check up on his patient, Natsume seldom entered the room, fully aware that he would be unwillingly engaged in a conversation he wanted to avoid. Although she wanted him to know that they weren't strangers, during the times where they conversed, he remained laconic.

It was better that way, for him and especially for her.

He figured that his unresponsiveness would make her grow weary of him, ultimately resulting in her surrender. So he was surprised when one day she walked in the staff break room and handed him a cup of coffee.

"Here," she said with arms outstretched, coffee between her palms.

He took one look at it and went back to his business eating a rather bland salad.

"I want you to have it," Mikan continued firmly.

"It's fine, I already had some," Natsume rejected. He continued to ignore her as she pulled up a chair opposite him and sat down.

"You don't have to drink it now. It can be placed in the fridge and warmed up later," Mikan settled the cup on the table and folded her arms on her lap, gaze never leaving her companion's body.

Oh how unsettling it became to have her watch him like that.

Natsume dropped the fork in his hand and looked up, a cold stare on his face. "It is unauthorized for me to accept gifts from my patients and their guests," he asserted rather harshly. He could see the rosy tint appear on her cheeks as her eyes cast down in embarrassment and fear.

"I-I-I'm s-sorry," she stammered. "I-I didn't release that was a rule."

He could tell that she was startled, judging by the fidgeting body but she was still planted on the seat.

Mikan wasn't going to back down so easily.

For the remainder of his break, he chomped down his salad and snubbed her every time she spoke. The coffee was still left intact when he finished his food and stood up to throw the plastic container away. He saw her follow his cue and stand up, cup now in her hand. He once again paid her no mind when she attempted to get his attention and he left the room.

Mikan stood back with the cup, silently staring at the now cold drink. A tear droplet escaped her eye and fell into the liquid, causing a small ripple to form.

"Why won't he talk to me?" she whispered to herself.

* * *

Guilt, a feeling he long ago learned to suppress was beginning to surface. It felt bitter and extremely suffocating to the point where he lacked concentration when it came to his important duties, not when a couple feet away stood his reason for his suffering.

Yes, a bit of him felt guilty for treating her the way he did the past week but his pride prevented him from apologizing. Quite the connoisseur of the brunette's thought, his apology to her meant that he in some way was creating a path for her to reenter into his life.

"I want to apologize for being ignorant about giving you a gift. I wasn't aware that it is considered a bribe so I promise to not do it again."

She was standing in front of his office desk with determination to get him to respond back favorably.

Natsume on the other hand became perturbed by her submissiveness. The pride she had in the past was thrown away and she had somehow learned to be humble, a trait she never had. They used to be similar in the way they kept steadfast to their opinions, causing them to butt heads all the time. But she had changed and he had not.

Her apology was not necessary due to the circumstances. Such hospital rules among staff weren't common knowledge and therefore the apology required to be spoken out of his mouth, not hers. She had no fault in this matter.

He pushed aside his pride, surprising himself, and dismissed the apology all together. "You did nothing wrong so don't apologize," he said.

"B-But," Mikan began but then stopped herself. She sighed and sat down on one of his office couches. "Can we talk?" she tentatively asked. Her feet crossed, one over the other to prevent visibility to underneath her white sundress.

Natsume nodded and got out of his revolving chair to sit opposite her.

Maybe, just maybe he could take the time to see how her life has been since their disconnection.

"How have you been?" she started.

How has he been? There wasn't anything new to speak about aside for his residency here in Kyoto to which he carefully selected. It provided a lot of much desired distance from Tokyo, from everyone else.

"Fine I suppose," he mildly replied. He could tell from her facial expression that his answer did not satisfy her.

"I guess what I really mean to ask is, why have you been hiding all these years?"

 _Thump_

". . ."

"Please . . . don't do this again," her voice quivered but she wouldn't let that stop her from being resilient. She never gave up, no matter how difficult the tribulation. That was just her and for that, he couldn't help but feel a mixture of slight resentment and proudness. He had to commend her for that. At least not all of her had completely changed.

"Ruka . . . he's your husband now," he asked in a more rhetorical sense.

Mikan nodded, fiddling with her hair. "We've been married for three years now," she said, a smile graced her lips. "I still can't believe it even happened and it's incredible. He's too good for a person like me who falls short in a lot of areas."

"In what way do you fall short?" Natsume raised a brow at her.

"I'm not exactly the perfect wife per say. It's absolutely horrible when I pick up a knife to chop produce," she chuckled, thinking back on the times she's caused accidents trying to obtain some form of culinary skills. "Not to mention, the clumsiness I thought would escape in early adulthood still haunts me."

As he listened to her ramble, the corners of his lips tugged upward. She had always been particularly very clumsy, as he was witness to that. In the beginning he found it tiring to save her due to her accident prone nature, but when he began to care for her, all he could think about was to prevent her from running into danger.

He used to be her protector and he kind of missed that.

Most of all, he missed hearing her voice.

"You're not lacking," he let slip out of his mouth before he could retract his words. He wanted to curse but withheld himself, thankfully.

Mikan stared at him with wide eyes, highly un-expectant of his sudden thoughtful comment. A crimson color manifested on her cheeks as she muttered, "Thank you."

 _Thump_

". . . Yeah."

* * *

 **End Note** : This will range from a three shot to a four shot.

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought of it so far! C:

 **Author: Napperon**


	2. Chapter 2

**Synopsis:** He remembered her as the ditzy, polka dotted panty girl from high school who he was madly in love with. Losing contact with her after graduation, he thought he might never see her again. And now, here she was sitting on a chair next to a comatose patient in his charge. Her hand held tight to the patient's which fashioned a wedding band matching her own. AU

 **Beginning Note** : Next chapter of the short story. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer** : Gakuen Alice belongs to Higuchi Tachibana.

* * *

 **Part Two**

* * *

His past was catching up to him too quickly and he loathed it.

"Unbelievable, you mean to tell me Natsume works here and is Ruka's doctor?!" He heard the distinctive deafening voice boisterously shout.

He was currently standing outside of the patient room, unsure of how to compose himself in preparation to face the people inside. He listened as they all began to voice out their shock. Some sounded sentimental while others sounded plainly hostile. There was no reason, however, to allow that to prevent him from doing his job properly. He needed to separate personal affairs from work.

Fixing his coat, he entered the room with clipboard in hand, ignoring the silence that ensued upon his entrance. The guests made way for him to assess Ruka's condition with bated breath. Tension rapidly rose and everyone could feel it.

"So this is where you've been hiding all these years, huh?" a baritone voice erupted the silence. Natsume glanced at said individual and then turned back to his patient. "I see you haven't changed at all."

"Tonouchi-san please relax," Tobita Yuu, a former classmate, placed his hand on the older gentleman's shoulder.

"Whatever," muttered the male.

"How is his condition?" Mikan, who was sitting on the bed inquired as she watched him checking her husband's vitals.

"His vitals are steady but we can only wait for him to wake up," replied Natsume. He rose to his feet and was about to leave until a hand clutching his wrist prevented him from doing so.

"Wait just a minute," the captor spoke, her face contorting with desperation. Natsume could see her searching for words, unsure of what next step to take as her fingers pressed into the skin of his wrist.

"What?" he asked impatiently.

"Uhm…" Sweat beads were beginning to form.

"Sumire what's wrong?" said another guest in the room named Koko.

"I-I j-just," she continued to hesitate and the more she did, the more impatient Natsume became. But it wasn't her fault though. The fact that his never ending aura of danger surrounded him was to blame, primarily because it made her and everybody nervous. "I-I want to know . . . why did you run away?"

"Are you serious Sumire?" Koko said in disbelief at the permed girl's sudden probe.

"If she gets to ask him something then I might as well," said Tonouchi. "For example, why did you act like a coward when things got tough?"

"Tonouchi, please stop," Mikan pleaded with her senior.

"You hurt everyone and then failed to explain why. Instead you decided on a whim to act on your own accord," Tonouchi continued.

"Take it easy," Koko said. "This isn't the time or place, especially when we came here to support Ruka."

Tonouchi ignored the male and crossed his arms, anger intensifying in his voice as he spoke. "I don't think it matters to him what I say. The person he was supposed to care about the most ended up being more hurt than the rest of us."

"Enough," Mikan snapped at her senior. "I think you all should leave and recuperate elsewhere. Not in here where my husband is trying to recover."

 _Thump_

A twinge of jealously struck Natsume and he released himself from the hold on his wrist. "I'll be taking my leave now," he said, looking at his former person on interest. His body disappeared through the door and the others were left in the room feeling all sorts of emotions.

"Are you okay?" Sumire walked over to her friend and stood in front of her.

"I'm alright," said Mikan. "I got over the shock rather quickly." She shifted herself to look at her husband who looked lifeless on the bed. Whatever skin that was revealed gave off a pale color. His handsome face was covered in bandages to conceal just how different he would appear after the accident.

"Your ability to cope is rather admirable, Sakura-san," said Yuu as he smiled at her. "I'm sorry that we've created such a fuss over the situation."

"No, it was bound to happen anyway. That's why I didn't tell you who Ruka's doctor was," Mikan said.

"With all due respect, I would not have acted rashly if I knew beforehand," Tonouchi frowned. He wasn't looking at anyone in particular but his expression showed him in deep contempt.

"I beg to differ," Sumire scoffed. "Nevertheless, I think we'll all take our leave for today and come visit another time once emotions have calmed down," she suggested. Her gaze was focused on Tonouchi, and the latter noticing it, stood up.

"See you later Mikan," he said. The others said their goodbyes and they all left the room right after.

Mikan looked down at her husband and caressed his bandage covered cheek. Tears welled up in her eyes from the thought of how long it could potentially take for him to wake up.

"I'm sorry for everything," she sobbed. Her body collapsed on his and her cries grew louder. "Please," she begged. "Wake up."

* * *

A couple days later, the group with the addition of Umenomiya Anna and Ogasawara Nonoko, were sitting in the hospital canteen discussing important matters.

"Police are investigating the incident and the motive behind it," said Nonoko who happened to work for the department covering the case. She and Anna were partners in the force and had been working with one another since their promotion to detectives.

"That's great," Sumire nodded.

"Are there any leads?" Tonouchi inquired. "Anything that is bringing us closer to solving the case?"

"There isn't much we can say," Anna solemnly replied, ruffling her hair. "It just doesn't make any sense why he would even be in the forest."

"What do you mean?" asked Koko, brows furrowing in confusion.

"Just like what she said. He was driving in the forest for some inexplicable reason and drove off the cliff," Nonoko related.

Tonouchi sighed. "That's rather ambiguous."

There was growing frustration in the group as they tried to decipher the puzzling mystery behind Ruka's actions. They all knew him to be a kind and gentle person who could do no harm to anyone. He was always thoughtful of others, selflessness being a major trait of his that made many like him. Not to mention, he had an ambience surrounding him that screamed charming. So his accident was met with bewilderment.

"Maybe it wasn't an accident," Yuu alluded. He was twiddling with his fingers nervously, indicating that something was on his mind that he wasn't sure how to express.

"Is there anything that you're not telling us?" questioned Sumire. Her manicured fingers drummed the table in anticipation.

"I'm not sure if I am the person you should be asking this," Yuu coughed and averted his gaze from Sumire's angry eyes.

"Pray tell Yuu, whom shall we ask then if you aren't willing to give us such an important piece of information?" Sumire hissed. Her tapping became impatient.

"The person who knows more about this than I do. . . Mikan herself."

"Well this will be a great opportunity, here she comes," Koko nodded his head in the direction the brunette was coming from.

Mikan walked up to their table, bento box in hand, and pulled out a chair to sit down with them. "Why the long faces?" she pondered as she opened up her bento box.

"We," Yuu began but then hesitated, primarily because he was finding it difficult to introduce the touchy subject, especially when the brunette was happily eating her food.

Sumire had not always been a patient one so it was not a surprise when she slammed her hand on the table and blatantly said, "What don't we know about Ruka that you do?"

Mikan paused, onigiri in hand, and dropped the rice ball back into her bento.

". . ."

"We don't want this to come off as an interrogation at all," Anna expressed. She gave Mikan a light smile of comfort.

"Anna is right, in spite of our occupation, we still are your friends at the end of the day. So just know that we will be here for you and any information you give us can bring us closer to solving the case," said Nonoko. Being distally closest to Mikan, she stretched out her hand and placed it on the brunette's closed fist. "Is there a side to Ruka that we don't know about and you would not mind sharing?"

Mikan's head casted downwards and the group could see droplets falling on to her food. Tonouchi, who was on her other side, pushed the bento away from her and placed a hand on her back.

"I . . ." she squeaked.

"Guys, maybe we should stop this because it's clearly too hard on her," said the concerned Koko.

Mikan sat up and shook her head, wiping away her tears. "No, it's completely fine!" She gave them a weak smile. "I understand how frustrating it must be to not know anything," she continued.

"Don't force yourself to speak," said Sumire, feeling apologetic towards her friend. "I'm sorry for being so direct."

"I don't mind at all! I'm being emotional right now so it isn't anything to feel bad for," Mikan dismissed. "I had been meaning to tell you for the longest time anyway." She fanned her face when tears began brimming her lids again.

"Take it easy," Yuu piped in. "We got all the time in the world."

The group gave her some time to get in control of herself. "Okay I'm alright now," Mikan wiped away any remaining tears she had and drew out a long breath. She kept her gaze down as she spoke, "Ruka and I had been having a lot of troubles for the longest time." The group exchanged equally confused looks.

"What kind of troubles?" Tonouchi interjected.

"Too many to count but it was enough that after the first year he wanted a divorce," Mikan confessed. "And I tried to get him to stay, for us to work through it but he said he was tired."

"Tired?" Sumire asked. "Of what exactly?" This information was already hitting them hard, seeing as the majority of them had no idea about the marital issues between their two dear friends. They had hidden it so well that they almost exuded perfection. It goes to show that there was more than meets the eye.

What else about the couple did they not know about?

And how could a divorce be already considered only after a year of marriage? They had surprisingly been married for three already.

What could have happened between them?

All these questions were running through their minds. There was a sense of guilt in the group for not noticing sooner that Mikan and Ruka were not happy. Maybe there were signs that were in plain sight but had been ignored and brushed off as unimportant. For example, when the group would have gatherings and notice Ruka's absence to a majority of them. Or when he would force a smile that at first, appeared genuine, in the presence of Mikan. So much to a story that had been left untold for far too long.

How could they have let it happen?

"It was my fault. . . he was tired of trying to make me happy. It did take him seven years to convince me to marry him," Mikan sniffed.

"But you still chose to marry him, so why wouldn't he be overjoyed by it?" Nonoko pressed. "It all still doesn't make sense to me."

"I'm not entirely sure if it would be alright for me to reveal this to you. I don't want to hurt him and would rather he be awake to defend himself." Mikan took the lid of her bento box and placed it over her food. "In the event that he does wake up and recovers, I can then speak on it again."

"We understand," Tonouchi said and the others nodded in agreement.

"Thank you all," Mikan smiled at them.

* * *

The person who caused his mind to go blank decided to acquaint herself in his office every now and then. She had a new story to tell each time about her life while he was gone. And how she had initially wanted to go to university but without sufficient funds, she could not afford it. Her dream was to be a teacher, specifically a kindergarten teacher since she had a love for children. She also had other dreams too, however. At one point she wanted to be an astronaut and then at another she had interest in law. Without higher education, these dreams of hers were out of reach. At the moment she was working at a small restaurant and it was alright, didn't provide much pay, but she loved the regulars. They were always so patient with her and it helped make her job easier.

"Why did you want to be a doctor?" Mikan asked Natsume one day. It was Natsume's lunch hour so Mikan invited him to go outside in the garden and enjoy the fresh warm air. Normally, he would refuse such invitations but since she was asking him, he found himself willing and unpleasantly eager to spend more time with her.

"I wanted to help people," he responded. His eyes followed a butterfly fluttering its wings and landing on a nearby flower.

"That's a rather vague answer," Mikan huffed, her lips pouting.

Natsume wondered himself why he had chosen to be a doctor. Of all the careers to pursue, he had chosen one that no one, not even himself, would have expected to take up. Perhaps it was due to the duty he felt to right his wrongs. Instead of hurting people, like he did best, he wanted to learn how to heal. It kept him busy by preventing him from wallowing in his thoughts of the past. Maybe he was running away, but the most important person to him was here now in his presence and animatedly talking to him every day while they waited for Ruka to wake up.

He would never openly admit it to her, but he thoroughly enjoyed her company.

"I," he thought about how to answer her. "I wanted to heal others instead of hurting them," he revealed.

Mikan's eyes soften and she placed her hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to atone for your sins if that's what you're doing."

Of course she would say that. This woman beside him always knew him best and took it upon herself to remove the burden of guilt from him. She was too forgiving.

"I hurt you," Natsume continued. He focused back on her, staring intently into her hazel irises. His hand tentatively lifted and touched her soft hair. To his surprise, she brought her own hand up and placed it over his, eyelids closing. "I missed you," he whispered softly. Before he knew it, he was already leaning forward to capture her lips.

His lips grazed over hers gently but then became more firm. His companion seemed to not mind and even moved with him, each of them giving the other prolonged closed mouth kisses. Natsume wrapped his free hand around her waist and pulled her closer to him to which she welcomed. As their exchange became more heated, a voice in the distance called out.

"Doctor Hyuuga!" the voice said, causing the two of them to break apart and adjust themselves to proper seating positions. The nurse got closer to them and formally bowed.

"What is it?" Natsume demanded in irritation.

How he wished he had not been interrupted so soon.

"Sir, the comatose patient by the name of Nogi Ruka has woken up."

* * *

 **End Note:** Thanks for reading! Part two is now complete ^^ Will reveal more about the past in the next chapter!

 **Author: Napperon**


	3. Chapter 3

**Synopsis:** He remembered her as the ditzy, polka dotted panty girl from high school who he was madly in love with. Losing contact with her after graduation, he thought he might never see her again. And now, here she was sitting on a chair next to a comatose patient in his charge. Her hand held tight to the patient's which fashioned a wedding band matching her own. AU

 **Beginning Note** : This short story is expanding a little longer than four chapters! It originally was supposed to be around 3-4 but I want to detail the past well so that it isn't so ambiguous.

 **Disclaimer** : Gakuen Alice belongs to Higuchi Tachibana.

* * *

 **Part Three**

* * *

 **12 Years Ago**

"If you can't act right, then stay out!" a middle-aged man in his thirties yelled at a teenage boy. They both stood in a scarcely furnished living room with a young girl who anxiously sat on a chair.

The two males were throwing words back and forth at one another and the girl couldn't help crying over what had become of her once happy family. Her only beloved family was so torn since the death of their mother that it left tensions high in the household. The relationship between her father and brother was so terrible that they fought every day.

"You think it's okay to be going out all night hanging with those troublemakers?" her father pointed a finger at the teenage boy who slapped it out of his face.

"Those people are my friends," said the boy in a rather haughty tone. He clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles were turning white.

"Those people are delinquents, foul-mouthed trash with nothing better to do with their lives than go partying, drinking, and smoking!"

"And you think that's all I would do?!" shouted the boy.

"You go with the crowd you associate with! Leave the house if you still plan on being a part of their gang!"

The young girl, having enough of the scene before her, jumped out of the chair she was sitting on and ran over to her older brother.

"Daddy please don't let him leave!" she cried, clutching her brother's shirt.

"Let go of me Aoi," said the boy. He struggled a bit to release his younger sister's hold on his shirt, the girl holding on as if her life depended on it.

"No Natsume! Please don't go and leave me and daddy!" the girl named Aoi said, hold weakening as her brother began to overpower her.

"Let that troublemaker go and never come back. He'll learn a lesson from the real world if not from me," yelled the father.

And so Natsume pried his younger sister's fingers from his shirt, not sparing his father one glance, he left the house with the door shutting loudly behind him. All he could hear was the muffled cries of his sister as he got further from his home. He thought about where he could go next, now that his father had disowned him, leaving him without a home. As much as he wanted to resent the man, he knew the choices he had made. It was his friends that made him feel welcome or his uncomfortable family, and he choose his friends.

He fished out some coins and bills from his pocket and counted them. There was just enough to make a trip on the bus to the city. He put the money back in his pocket and continued walking all the way to the bus stop.

There weren't that many people on the bus since it was late at night, approximately three individuals including him. An old man sat to the front and woman, who was busy chatting away on the phone, sat in the middle. When the bus pulled up to a stop, he stood up and walked down the aisle. The old man appeared to want to get off at the stop but was having difficulties getting up. Natsume turned to the man and said, "Do you need help?"

The old man looked up at him graciously and smiled. "Yes, please if you do not mind." He stretched out a hand and Natsume took it, helping him rise to his feet. He then hooked the man's arm around his neck.

"I can help you get down," he said.

"Oh thank you so much," the old man said. The two walked out of the bus and Natsume gently removed the arm from his shoulder. He bowed down to the old man and was about to make his exit until the old man spoke. "What's your name young man?"

Slightly startled by his question, Natsume scratched the back of his head and said, "Natsume."

The old man smiled widely, gums showing and all and bowed as well. "Thank you, Natsume. You are a kind fellow." He waved at him and turned around, walking away in the opposite direction that Natsume intended to head.

He passed by many buildings until he reached one with an alley opening where he steadily walked into. Now further in, he spotted a ladder and placed it against the building wall and climbed up until he reached an open broken window. Very carefully, he moved around the glass and into the abandoned room.

"Hello?" he called out. Very quickly, some boys around his age came rushing from one room to the current one he was standing in.

"Natsume!" said one of the boys. He walked over to him and placed an arm around his shoulder. Another hand came to ruffle his hair playfully.

"Stop it Reo," Natsume said in annoyance. He pushed the boy away so he could fix his already messy hair.

"What brings you here?" another boy asked.

"Was kicked out," Natsume shrugged. He walked over to a milk carton turned upside down and sat on it. "What are the plans for tonight?" he asked his friends.

"Check it, we're going over to the club and pick up some chicks," Reo snickered. "Maybe you can pull some moves and bring a lady over to the love hotel." At that, the other boys hollered and Natsume rolled his eyes.

"Don't seem like any fun to me," he commented.

His friend Reo patted him on the back. "Don't be a sore loser man! Even Amane here is willing to come too!" He thrusted a thumb in the direction of one of the boys.

"Just leave him behind if he don't wanna come," Amane snapped. "Always was the boring one in the group anyway."

Natsume stood up and glared at Amane. Out of all his friends, he had never liked him and considered him a thorn at his side. "I'll go," his glare hardened, showing the other boy that he wasn't going to allow him to mess with him.

"Alright! Let's get on out!" Reo cheered. "I got the fake IDs."

* * *

Sweaty bodies and intoxicated minds were never a good mix. There was pushing, shouting, and puking all over the place. The DJ was faring poorly as the music was not in good taste. It was no wonder why many people were drinking so heavily to lose their senses.

Natsume could never understand why people enjoyed the club life and he took it that he never would. He roamed around, forcibly pushing past squishing bodies, to find a place where he could at least breathe.

"Dude!" he heard his friend Reo call from a booth. He turned around and looked at his friend who had two women under his arms. They were busy drunkenly kissing his neck while another one of the boys recorded them. "Come on over!" said Reo.

Natsume begrudgingly did so, purposely walking there slowly. He didn't bother to sit down once he got to the booth, knowing full well that he would be forced to stay longer if he did.

"What?" he said in irritation.

Reo pushed one of the girls off of him and grabbed a bottle of Sake, pouring it in a small shot glass. "Drink my man!" he lifted the cup towards Natsume whose nose wrinkled in disgust.

"No thanks."

"You're being no fun right now," Reo chuckled. "Just drink it and you'll feel good."

The girl who had been pushed off slid over, a lopsided grin on her face. She clumsily stood up and placed both arms on Natsume's waist. "Wanna go somewhere and hook up?" she managed to slur out of her mouth.

Natsume unwrapped the arms around his waist in disgust. "Get off," he spat. The other boys in the booth started to boo him, their drunkenness making the situation even more unbearable to watch.

Reo got up on the table, knocking bottles away as he crawled forward and got down, standing right in front of Natsume. It took him a while to regain his balance because of the alcohol clouding his ability to focus.

"What is your problem?" he said once he got a hold of himself and pushed Natsume back. "You said you wanted to come and now you're acting like a downer, moping around and not doing anything fun." He kept pushing him back to aggravate him, earning more cheers from the other boys.

"Punch him in the gut!" Amane shouted.

"Kick his face!" said another boy.

Not wanting to entertain them, Natsume slapped away Reo's hands and turned around to leave the club. All of a sudden, he felt a hard shove on his back and he crashed into a couple dancing. Getting up, he spun around tackled Reo on to the floor, fists going down and up continuously. It got the attention of many bystanders and people moved back to give them space.

"Get off of me!" Reo grunted. He was slapping at Natsume's face, trying to push him back but to no avail.

The boys, now getting sobered from the rush of adrenaline, one by one left the booth and grabbed on to Natsume, pushing him on the ground. Each of them threw fists at him but Natsume managed to dodge a couple of them. He twisted his body around and looked for an opening. Seeing one, he quickly crawled through it and stood up. The boys had a delayed reaction, giving Natsume the opportunity to run. One of them got ahold of himself and shouted, "There he goes!" They all began chasing after him out of the club and down the street.

 _huff huff_

He was beginning to lose his breath as the chase prolonged. The boys quickly caught up to him and surrounded him, pushing Natsume to the ground. Reo pushed them aside and straddled him.

"This. Will. Teach. You. Not. To. Mess. With. Me," he said in between punches.

Police sirens blared in the distance, spooking the boys who all stopped what they were doing and ran away, leaving the battered Natsume on the ground, slowly losing consciousness.

* * *

 _tick tock tick tock_

"Grandpa is he okay?" a melodic female voice resonated. He could feel a damp cloth being gently dabbed on his face. He winced a bit when the pressure was hard at one spot, causing the person's actions to be halted. "Oh my gosh, are you okay?" said the voice. His eyes fluttered open and met beautiful hazel ones that looked genuinely worried. Immediately his body flung up and he clutch his abdomen, grunting at the immense pain that plagued it.

"Lay back down Natsume," the familiar voice of the old man he had helped off the bus said.

"His name is Natsume?" questioned the girl who looked around his age. She continued patting the damp cloth on his face when he laid back down. "How did you know him?" she said, pausing to face her grandfather.

"This young man helped me off the bus when I couldn't get up," said the girl's grandfather.

Natsume listened as the two continued their conversation, not wanting to interrupt them. He let his eyelids close and soon found himself falling into a slumber. The next time he woke up, the smell of food filled the room. He carefully sat up and looked down at the attempt which was the bandaging on his arms.

"Sorry about that, I tried my best to wrap it better," said the same girl who had attended to him when he first woke up. He didn't bother to face her as his hand reached for the chopsticks placed beside his rice bowl.

"I take it you haven't eaten since yesterday," giggled the girl who placed a napkin beside him. "I can get you some water if you would like."

Natsume finally turned to the girl and was taken back by her beauty. She had long wavy brunette hair and kind hazel eyes that made him feel uncharacteristically conscious of his appearance. He figured with the way he was beaten; he must have had many bruises all over his body that made him look grotesque.

"Do you want some water?" the girl repeated again and Natsume nodded. She disappeared into the hallway, giving Natsume the chance to take in his surroundings. He was seated in a living room area that was decorated with furniture that looked like they belonged in the Victorian era. Judging by the wallpaper, the home had to be occupied by an elderly person or persons. How he ended up there was up to mystery. Last thing he remembered was being chased out of the club but then getting caught and beaten up by the boys he thought were his friends.

The girl came back with a glass of water in her hand and set it down next to his food on the coffee table. She didn't bother to settle herself on a chair and sat on the floor opposite him. She rested her arms on the table and grinned at him.

"How did you. . . you know. . . end up with all of that?" she gestured to his bruises in wonder. "If you don't mind me asking!" she quickly added. Her expression displayed her embarrassment at her boldness and inconsideration for the feelings of her guest. Natsume didn't mind, however, not being one who cared about common social cues.

"I was beaten up by some people," he said to her.

The girl pouted, evidently discouraged by his lack of information reveal. "I could see that," she said. "I wanted to know how it happened and why." She sure did have a curious mind.

Natsume leaned back on the couch and crossed his arms. "It doesn't matter," he said curtly. Although she was admittedly beautiful, he wouldn't let that distract him, letting him reveal all his business.

Noticing his change in attitude, the girl shrunk back in disappointment and twiddled with her fingers.

"I'm sorry for offending you by being nosy," she softly said.

A feeling of guilt ate at Natsume and he couldn't help but want to make her feel better. After all, she had only been asking questions any one would. "I was being too harsh," he said, causing the girl to lift her head. "I don't mind you asking me," he continued. Maybe he was allowing himself to be willed by her, even though a moment ago he had mentally declared to not do so.

"Oh no take your time!" said the girl, energy filling her up again to his relief. "I want you to feel comfortable here up until you recover."

Natsume shook his head. "I can leave right after I finish eating," he said.

"It wouldn't be a bother if you stayed longer," the girl insisted. "We have an extra room to spare for the meantime so you aren't dozing off on this old couch."

"I. . ."

The two of them heard footsteps coming down the hallway and in came the grandfather. He had a cane helping him to keep upright and made his way over to them. His weak body slowly sat down with the help of his granddaughter.

"Thank you Mikan," said the old man and Natsume took a mental note to remember the name, although he wasn't sure why he wanted to remember her name. "How are you currently feeling?" the man asked.

"A lot better," said Natsume.

"That's very good and do you mind staying longer so that you can heal?"

The same offer again. He didn't want to impose on them, after being taken in and fed. It felt like he was taking advantage of their kindness.

"Thank you for your help but I'm fine," he rejected them.

The old man's wise eyes squinted a bit, as if he were in deep thought. "Do you have a home to go back to?" he suddenly asked him.

He did have a home but it was no longer welcome to him and his father's disownment was the very reminder. Natsume bit the inside of his cheek as the earlier encounter he had with him flashed in his mind. A part of him wanted to go back and apologize for what he had done, however there was a barrier holding him back from doing so and that was his pride.

"Not really," he said to the old man.

"Do you want to stay here with me and my granddaughter for the meantime?" the old man proposed.

"Yes, you should stay!" agreed Mikan. "We could even go to school together," she squealed.

The old man chuckled at his granddaughter's enthusiasm. "Don't mind her outlandish behavior; it's part of her many wonderful traits. She gets all worked up about making new friends and really wants to be a friend of yours."

"Grandpa!" Mikan yelped. Her cheeks flushed red and she pulled her long hair across her face to conceal her eyes. For some reason, Natsume found it comical to see her reaction and for the first time in a while, he let out a snort.

"Sure," he said to them, covering his mouth to prevent his laughter from getting louder.

Mikan let go of her hair and looked at him expectantly. "Really? You'll stay!" she said in delight.

"Yes, I'll stay."

And for once, Natsume allowed himself to enjoy the bubbling feeling of hope that stirred his heart.

* * *

 **End Note** : Thanks for reading and reviewing! I forgot to say this in the previous chapter but HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! C:

 **Author: Napperon**


	4. Chapter 4

**Synopsis:** He remembered her as the ditzy, polka dotted panty girl from high school who he was madly in love with. Losing contact with her after graduation, he thought he might never see her again. And now, here she was sitting on a chair next to a comatose patient in his charge. Her hand held tight to the patient's which fashioned a wedding band matching her own. AU

 **Beginning Note** : This chapter wraps up the past.

 **Disclaimer** : Gakuen Alice belongs to Higuchi Tachibana.

* * *

 **Part Four**

* * *

Rays of sunlight peaked through the blinds of the room, lighting up the darkness that had once shrouded the area. Natsume groaned and pulled the duvet over his head to prevent the light from hitting his face. He never liked the sunlight and wasn't an early riser. So to hear the loud noises echoing through the thin walls of the house, was unusual for he whose old home was usually filled with silence, not counting the occasional arguments.

"Grandpa!" he heard Mikan call out and brought his palms over his ears. The girl was too loud for his liking and in the three weeks he had been living in the house, he wasn't sure how he could get used to it.

"The mail is here with the uniform!" she shouted again. Beyond annoyed, he threw the duvet off his body and sat up, rubbing his tired lids. He squinted at the wall clock which read seven o'clock and positioned himself at the edge of the bed. The door to his room opened and in came Mikan who was dressed in her school uniform.

"You're awake," she stated, hands on her hips.

"Thanks to your loud voice I am," Natsume groused, causing Mikan to shake her head at him.

"The mail came in about details of your transfer," she started, excitement evident in her hazel eyes. "They're allowing you to enter Alice Academy and you got your uniform!" Her hands reached out and she pounced on him for a hug.

Natsume let his body fall back on the bed with arms spread wide. It took a while to get all the documents from his old school to transfer over due to his father not wanting anything to do with the process when Mikan's grandfather contacted him. A lot of convincing was required to have guardianship signed over to the old man for the school to allow him access to his records. His transfer was finally ready and he could go to the new school today with Mikan.

He had to admit that she was beginning to grow on him. Yes, she was loud, however her presence was the only thing keeping his life entertaining. Normally he would abstain from all girls because he found them to be a nuisance, but Mikan was different. Unlike the other girls from his old school who could not take a minute to stop swooning over him, Mikan challenged him. She challenged his way of life and mannerism, trying to make sense of who he was in reality. The day he decided to stay in the new household, she made him follow her everywhere. They would go grocery shopping together, attempt to make dinner but then fail and leave it to her grandfather, visit the parks for casual strolls, and go bike riding and more. These were many things that he had not expected himself to find interest in until he met her.

She was slowly changing him to be more open and he recognized that. Accepting it, however was becoming problematic. It compelled him to ponder over his feelings towards her, if they were of friendship or maybe something more. He didn't want to suddenly be falling for her and end up messing up things between them. It had been a while since someone cared so much for him and he didn't want to end up hurting her because of it.

He let himself wrap his arms around her and gave her a playful squeeze.

"Too. . . tight," Mikan squeaked, patting his chest for him to let her go. His arms loosed around her and Mikan pushed back off of him. "Okay, plan for today is for you to get your butt out of bed and get ready. Then we can head out and catch the early train."

"What about breakfast?" Natsume asked, his stomach growling.

"There's no time for that so get ready or we'll be late!" Mikan pulled on his arm for him to stand. "Please be done in about fifteen minutes," she commanded and Natsume gave her a joking salute before heading off to the bathroom.

He finished brushing his teeth, washing his face and putting on his uniform all in about ten minutes. He jogged down the stairs to see the grandfather sipping on some tea and Mikan hurriedly putting on her socks.

"Good morning kiddo," greeted the grandfather.

"Morning old man," replied Natsume, only to get a shoe thrown at his head. He quickly ducked and turned to the person who threw it with a scowl.

"Call him grandpa!" Mikan stuck her tongue out at him and then went to collect her shoe.

"We don't throw things at our friends," the grandfather scolded Mikan who huffed and shuffled over to the foyer with her cheeks puffed. Natsume followed behind her to put on his new sneakers that the grandfather bought him. He declined at first, but the old man persistence prevented him from further rejecting the gift.

"Have a nice day at school," the grandfather waved at them, the two bowing down to him and then both heading out the house.

They rode tandem on a bicycle all the way to the train station and once they arrived, Natsume put a padlock around the wheel to connect it to the bike rack and then ran down the station steps with Mikan to catch the train which they nearly missed. It was full as usual with so many people making early commutes. Natsume instructed Mikan to stand in front of him so that he could prevent her from getting squished by the many people on the train.

"Whew!" Mikan sighed once they were able to get out of the train and breathe. "I really hate taking the train, especially at this time," she bemoaned and then stretched out her ligaments. "Alright, let's get running before they lock the gates." Without warning, she took a hold of Natsume's hand and dragged him along with her as she rushed up the station's stairs and out in the streets to get to the school. They had made it just in time before the teacher in charge of the gate, closed and locked it for incoming late students.

"We. . . made. . . it," Mikan panted and Natsume nodded, he himself not as exasperated as she was.

The two straightened themselves and proceeded down the academic row. Many glances were pointed in their direction, seeing as Natsume was an unfamiliar presence to them. Regardless of how large the school was, it was an escalator school so most students were acquainted with one another since elementary school. The only exceptions were the few transfers that entered the school and even they had not received as much attention as Natsume currently did. It was expected, however, due to Natsume's handsome features which made many girls stare in awe and guys boil in envy.

"Can't they watch anything else?" Natsume grumbled, sending glares in every direction possible but it only got a few of them to look away but then sneak pictures of him. He sorely disliked the attention that was drawn to him wherever he went.

Mikan laughed beside him. "Maybe because you're so god dang handsome," her forthright nature oozing from her voice.

Immediately catching on to her words, Natsume turned his head to conceal the blush threatening to manifest on his cheeks. The effect she had on him was too strong, making him behave in ways so atypical of his usual self.

If only she knew.

"Here we are," Mikan said as they entered the inside of the teacher's office to find Natsume's classroom. "Hello Narumi-sensei!" she greeted the charge teacher who smiled at her.

"Good Morning Mikan," the teacher relayed back to her. It was a male with slightly curly blonde hair and bright lavender eyes. His features were a bit feminine and he gave off a weird vibe that made Natsume's skin crawl. "And who might this dashing young fellow be?" the teacher pondered, hands reaching out only to be dodged.

"His name is Hyuuga Natsume, the new transfer student. We're here to find out which class he's in," Mikan explained, knowing that Natsume did not want anything to do with the teacher. It was a normal response most transfers students, who were not familiar with Narumi-sensei, had upon meeting him for the first time. After all, he was quite the character with an odd taste in questionable fashion.

Narumi-sensei hummed and spun in his chair to peer at the computer. He opened up a document on Natsume's student record, scrolling down until he found the class he was assigned into.

"Class 1-A," he announced.

Mikan grinned, hands excitedly groping at Natsume's forearm. "That means we're in the same class," she beamed and Natsume gazed down at her, the corners of his lips upturning slightly. This action did not go unnoticed by Narumi-sensei who silently cooed at the two of them.

 _Ah, young love_

* * *

"Settle down everyone, we have a new transfer student today," the teacher named Serina-sensei hushed her students who all quickly paid attention at the words 'transfer student.'

Natsume walked inside the classroom, scanning the room for his favorite brunette who already settled herself inside while he waited for his introduction outside. He spotted her near the back of the room and was given a thumbs up.

"Go ahead and introduce yourself," prompted Serina-sensei.

"Hyuuga Natsume," short and straight to the point, leaving no room for anything else. Mikan slapped her forehead and shook her head at him.

"Does anyone have any questions and or suggestions for him?" Serina-sensei asked her students who all were too stunned to say anything. A brave student with blonde hair and cerulean irises, sitting beside Mikan, tentatively rose his hand up. "Yes Nogi-san."

"Welcome to the class," greeted the boy. "I hope you enjoy your time at this school."

"Thank you for warm welcome Nogi-san. Are there any other students who would like to say anything to him?" No one else raised their hand and the teacher assigned Natsume an empty seat behind Mikan. On one side of him, behind Ruka was a pale girl with short raven hair who appeared bored out of her mind. On the other side was another girl with permed hair who was twiddling with one of the curls and openly staring at Natsume as he sat down.

"Nice to meet you," said the permed hair female who wouldn't stop ogling at him.

"Sumire stop it you're drooling," Mikan frowned at the girl who quickly rose a hand to her mouth, and took out her compact to search for any signs of drool.

"Now that I've taken roll call, you can sit tight until your first teacher of the day comes in." Serina-sensei ordered and picked up her clipboard, leaving the room.

Mikan stood up and turned her chair around to face Natsume's desk and sat down. "Let me introduce some of my friends to you," she initiated going from person to person. "The one ogling is Sumire, the blonde hair guy beside you is Ruka, and the girl behind him is my best friend Hotaru."

Hotaru, hearing her name mentioned, looked up from her notes and monotonously said, "Hi," then focused back on studying.

"So where are you from?" Ruka asked. Maybe it was the atmosphere in this part of the city because almost everyone was frank and nosey.

"I live with Mikan," Natsume replied, being laconic as always.

"Ah I see," Ruka started, causing Natsume to raise a brow at the swift acceptance of his residency. "Grandpa Sakura is still housing troubled people in his home, I take it." As soon as the words slipped out of his mouth, he raised his hands up, flustered by his word choice. "I-I didn't mean it that way," he continued.

Sumire piped in, clarifying to rescue the boy, "What he means is that Mikan's grandfather has been taking in people for years into their home. Ruka and I had gone through it and transferred to this school just like you."

"Y-Yeah, and we eventually moved out after getting our lives together."

A rain of disappointment washed over Natsume like a cold shower. He was just another one of them; a charity case. He had been disillusioned to think himself special to Mikan like she was to him.

"Natsume?" he heard her call out to him, her hand reached to the fist he unconsciously formed. Without a word, he retracted his hand and stood up, leaving the room.

Mikan shot right up. "I'll be back later. If the teacher asks where I am, just say I was helping Natsume to the infirmary," she asserted to her friends and then ran out the room. "Natsume!" she shouted after the retreating figure. "Please wait!" When she got closer to him, she paused for a moment to catch her breath and then pivoted in front of him to block his exit. Luckily for the both of them, there were no people in the particular hallway they were in.

"What's wrong? Why did you leave so suddenly?" she inquired from him.

He told himself he would never reveal his budding feelings for her for the sake of their relationship. And yet a large part of him wanted to hold on to the belief that Mikan harbored some sort of emotional attachment towards him. But he didn't want it to be pity of all things.

He felt himself once again being enveloped in a hug. "I'm sorry if I made you upset," Mikan mumbled into his shirt.

"Stop doing this," Natsume pushed her back gently, gazing intensely into her mesmerizing eyes. "You're making me hopeful for something that isn't there."

"Is it because of what Ruka and Sumire were saying?" Mikan probed and Natsume's silence answered it for her. "But why?"

As if the answer wasn't obvious enough.

Natsume raked his fingers through his hair. "You're making this difficult for me," he sighed. This was a first for him; expressing romantic interest in someone. He didn't know whether to be blunt and let her know just exactly why he was upset, or to make up a lie to bury the truth with him.

To hell with it.

He was better with actions than with words. Natsume placed his hand at the back of her neck, thumbing the skin to which sent goosebumps all over Mikan. This was probably going to be the only chance he would get to do this and he wasted no time in closing the distance between them, lowering his head down to meet her lips. A soft gasp escaped from Mikan's mouth and he pressed further, his head going side to side as his lips moved against hers.

He pulled back and was happy to see that he did have an effect on her, based on the reddening of her face. Her lids were shut tight, not daring to open and meet his gaze. Natsume swooped down to claim her lips again which trembled from his touch. He felt her wrap her arms around his body, clutching the back of his dress shirt. Once they separated he rested his forehead against her searing red one.

"Do you understand now?" he softly spoke.

"Y-Yes," stuttered Mikan, her heart rate rising rapidly.

And from that moment in time, their love began blossoming.

* * *

 **Two Years Later**

It took two years for him to finally feel comfortable and relatively stable in his life. He managed to gain some friends here and there with the influence of Mikan. The only person he fully trusted, aside from her, was Ruka. In spite of their contrasting personalities, he found the guy easy to talk to. The two of them became very good friends in a flash and were a duo in the school, gaining a fan club led by none other than Sumire. Although Natsume was initially miffed by Sumire's eccentric ways, he later learned to accept it, albeit forcibly via Mikan's objections of his dismissive temperament.

Other individuals he did not take a liking to were Mikan's favorite seniors: Tonouchi Akira and Ando Tsubasa. By now, the two already graduated but when Natsume first started school at Alice Academy, their nosiness ticked him off. They acted extremely overprotective of Mikan and it got to the point where he could only find the time to be alone with her if he made her skip class with him. That act itself, she rarely did. Living together had its cons. He needed to reel himself in from making any moves on her because of the disrespect it would be to the old man. That was a line he didn't want to cross.

And so he was elated when the seniors graduated, allowing him the opportunity to spend more time with Mikan. Holding her whenever he wanted to, and stealing kisses when she wasn't paying attention.

One early evening, while Mikan, Ruka and two other friends of theirs named Anna and Nonoko, stayed afterschool for a student council meeting, Natsume decided to walk over to the convenience store down the street to buy some snacks. As he reached the school gate, his pace slowed down when a couple familiar people stood there waiting for him.

"Hiya there pal!" said Reo. "Nice life you're living. Fancy uniform, new friends and a hot girlfriend to bone." He advanced closer and patted Natsume on the shoulder. "Don't you think it was rude of you to leave without a word so suddenly?"

Natsume glared at his former friend, his jaw clenching. "What the hell do you want?" he spat.

"Feisty," Reo darkly chuckled. "Listen, we don't want any problems here."

"Yeah, we missed ya! It's been a long while since we last went out on a wild adventure together," joined Hayate.

Natsume took a few steps backward to create some distance among them, and shoved his hands in his pants pockets. "I'm not going anywhere with you," he snubbed their pseudo show of nostalgia.

"I wouldn't make such hasty decisions if I were you," uttered Hayate. "I'm sure your sister Aoi would especially be displeased to hear about her older brother's attitude towards two friends simply reaching out to make amends."

"Don't you dare bring my sister into this," he vehemently spoke, murderous hatred dripping in his tone. He walked up and grabbed Hayate by the collar. "If you try anything, I'll kill the both of you." He let go and roughly pushed him back, causing Hayate to stumble.

"You really believe that you have the upper hand in this?" Reo scoffed. "Sure, fight back all you want but you're only hurting little Aoi in the process."

"I said, what the hell do you want?!" Natsume's voice picked up in volume and the two antagonizers flinched a bit.

"If you want us to leave her alone, then you gotta do a little task for us."

Something to do with his intonation gave Natsume the impression that whatever it was, it would not be good.

"Word is that the old man you live with is actually loaded with money and you're going to help us get it. We precisely want 1,200,000 yen."

And he was correct. The fools must have gotten into some trouble and needed to pay off a debt. The only problem now was how Natsume would handle this. He had to choose between his sister's safety and his relationship with the Sakuras. The end result was regretting not protecting Aoi or stealing from the old man who had provided for him.

"I'll do it."

Natsume made his choice and could already feel the regret seeping in.

"I knew you would understand!" Reo smirked. "Have the money for us by next week or Aoi goes bye bye."

* * *

The guilt suffocated him. He was about to betray the person he loved so much by doing wrong to her family for the sake of his own. Natsume sat in front of the large safe the old man kept in his closet, torn about the deed he was about to commit. It was so wrong and he knew it.

His fingers typed in the pin and the safe automatically opened. It wasn't difficult to figure it out since the old man was a rather simple person. He used Mikan's birthday, a grave mistake on his part.

The safe was full of money. How Hayate and Reo knew about it was a mystery to him. But it was completely full. Natsume had no hint to the wealth attached to the Sakura name. Stack and stacks of bills and many containers filled to the brim with yen. It was amazing considering the air of humility the old man had surrounding him that did not indicate otherwise.

"Dammit," Natsume cursed to himself, crimson eyes down casted. This betrayal was so distressing.

"Watch your tone," a voice said from behind him and he quickly whipped his body around.

"I," he began but was cut off.

"You're here for money," interjected Grandpa Sakura who came over with his cane. No expression of animosity displayed, only solemnness. "For you to come into my room, there must be a good reason for it."

Natsume shamelessly lowered his head. "I'm sorry," he said. "My sister Aoi is in danger and I desperately needed the money to prevent the people who want it, from harming her," he confessed.

Grandpa Sakura heavily sighed, sitting on his bed. He took a good while to respond. "I understand and I'll give you the money but you must not tell Mikan."

"Yes sir."

Further shame.

"After you pay the people who are threatening your family, please make arrangements to go back to your home with an apology ready for your father. No longer can you live here," Grandpa Sakura finished.

"Yes sir."

Natsume followed Grandpa Sakura's orders, taking the money to Reo and Hayate in the next week. Without saying goodbye to Mikan, he left the house and went back home to beg his father to accept him. His father allowed him to remain at Alice Academy for the remainder of the school year to graduate. In this these final school days, he ignored Mikan's attempts to enter into his bubble of seclusion and lost friends.

This was a form of self-punishment for his sins. He couldn't revel in Mikan's love after his act of betrayal.

It would be crooked.

After graduation where he officially severed all ties, Natsume moved to another town with his family, never seeing them again for ten years until one miraculous day.

* * *

 **End Note** : To answer a question, in the previous chapter and up to a certain point in this one, Natsume was 16 years old. He is 18 years old by graduation. Ruka's big appearance is now coming up in the next chapter. Answers will finally be come regarding Mikan and Ruka's marriage. Stay tuned for the last chapter!

Thanks for reading and reviewing! C:

 **Author: Napperon**


	5. Chapter 5

**Synopsis:** He remembered her as the ditzy, polka dotted panty girl from high school who he was madly in love with. Losing contact with her after graduation, he thought he might never see her again. And now, here she was sitting on a chair next to a comatose patient in his charge. Her hand held tight to the patient's which fashioned a wedding band matching her own. AU

 **Beginning Note** : There may be some medical inaccuracies in this, noticeable or unnoticeable, please ignore it!

 **Disclaimer** : Gakuen Alice belongs to Higuchi Tachibana.

* * *

 **Part Five**

* * *

 _Thump Thump Thump_

Was it the sound of his footsteps or his increasingly beating heart the closer he got to the dreaded room? A few more steps and he would be faced with overwhelming truth that the husband of the woman he still loved remained well alive. Many scenarios played out in his mind. How would he be received? Would Ruka be welcoming or hostile to see the face of the person who ignored him all these years? Whichever it be, Natsume was more than sure that it would not be any pleasant feelings.

 _clack clack clack_

He paused for a moment, causing the female behind him to bump into his back. Turning around, it took all the will power for him to look down at Mikan, her staring right back with a mix of emotions. She appeared to be in turmoil after what transpired between them. A lot of guilt, sadness, confusion and so much more. Natsume understood her having second thoughts about their mutual decision to give in to their desires for one another. Now that Ruka awakened, the reality of what they done struck them.

"I need to go freshen up in the washroom," Mikan lightly said, anxiety beginning to pour over her. The sound of her voice was so low that he almost did not catch her sentence. Natsume nodded his head and watched as she walked in the opposite direction to find the ladies room until her silhouette disappeared.

"Dr. Hyuuga?" spoke the previous nurse who alerted him of Ruka's awakening.

Snapping out of revere, Natsume focused on the task he needed to accomplish. Checking on Ruka. "Let's go," he said to the nurse and they walked down the hallway until the fated room appeared in sight. The nurse opened the door and walked in first with Natsume trailing behind.

He needed to mask his emotions right then and there before seeing his patient. The emotions running wild needed to be sedated to not impede on his responsibility as the doctor, no matter how difficult it be.

Natsume regained his composure and waited as the nurse slid back the hospital curtain and moved aside for his entry. The nurse then pushed the curtain back and left the room.

There Ruka lay being assisted by another nurse to carefully sit up. This nurse too left the room shortly thereafter. Notified of the new presence, he whipped his cerulean eyes in the direction where his doctor stood and could not believe it.

"What the hell?" he choked out, throat feeling very sore. "Why are you here?" he questioned, face contorting in sudden pain from the heavy stimuli of the situation.

"Take it easy you just woke up," replied Natsume in a professional manner. He walked over to the bed and grabbed a chair to sit down.

"Can you please explain to me what is going on? My head is pounding and I don't know how I ended up here," Ruka stressed, fingers massaging his temple. He moved down his face and felt the tubing in his nostrils.

"It's expected for your body to experience some pain and weakness as you were immobile while in the coma."

"A coma?"

"Yes, you were in a cliff accident and I got assigned as your doctor when you arrived," said Natsume.

"This is unbelievable," Ruka groaned. "I never thought I would see you again."

Doing what he did best, Natsume dodged his comment and said, "I have to inform you that now that you are awake, there will be an investigation done surrounding your case."

"Truly unbelievable," Ruka reiterated. The obvious referral was to the idea of Natsume being employed as his doctor.

"The estimated time for the investigators to arrive will be by the end of the week. This allots you some time to recuperate mentally before they start their questioning."

"Can you speak casually with me for a moment? I'm trying to figure out how chance brought us back face to face."

"This is not something that needs to be discussed at the moment. Your health is priority," pressed Natsume. He wasn't going to allow for Ruka to rile up sentiments in him to get him talking about the past.

"Fine, then there is no case to be made. What happened that day was what you said, an accident," Ruka said in annoyance.

Natsume began writing on a sheet clipped to his clipboard. "Not an attempt at suicide?"

"You were my best friend once. For what reason would I desire to off myself?"

"I need to make sure if you need to be placed under careful observation."

Ruka glared at him. "Stop sugar coating it. I know you specifically mean suicide watch and I'm telling you that I didn't try to kill myself."

"Explain that to the investigators when they arrive."

"How aggravating. Do you not care enough to wonder why I was anywhere near a cliff?"

There existed a developing feeling that nagged him as Ruka spoke to him with provocation.

"Seeing as you will never ask me yourself. I'll reveal to you that it's your fault that I fell off the cliff."

Whatever he was getting at, Natsume did not like it.

 _Thump_

"If you stayed, everything could have been the same as they were."

 _Thump Thump_

"And I wouldn't have to pick up the scrapes you left behind."

 _Thump Thump Thump_

His chest tightened and his heart beat faster. For some reason, he felt agitated at the accusations that were thrown at him.

"What do I have to do with your accident if we had not been acquainted for ten years?" Natsume demanded; anger evident in his tone of voice.

"I gave up my happiness for the sake of consoling the woman you left behind."

". . ."

"She never truly loved me because she always thought of you, even in her sleep." Ruka weakly brought his knees up and he propped his elbows on them, fingers grasping his hair. "I hated you for the longest time because what was supposed to be my happiness turned into my nightmare."

It came a shock to Natsume that Ruka described his experience with Mikan as a nightmare. It was no secret back in the day that he held emotional attachment to her. So being able to marry her should have been the best time of his life, with Natsume out of the picture. Over time Mikan may eventually forget that lost love. However, based on Ruka's anguish displayed on his face, it didn't go as wishful thinking led him to believe.

In a way, Natsume felt sorry for him. Sorry for indirectly making him take the responsibility for his own mistakes. He left Mikan behind because of his wrong deed. Leaving seemed the only way at the time for him to atone for his sin.

A part of him wondered what if he had chosen to tell her the truth. Instead of cutting off all communication with her. Knowing Mikan, her forgiveness would not be difficult to obtain.

He felt afraid though. Even if she did forgive him, what if she lost her trust in him? Then how could he deal with that?

To take up on her way of thinking: everything must have happened for a reason. If not, he wouldn't have encountered her ten years later and be given a second chance to tell her the truth. His pride, however, made that second chance difficult to use. And now that Ruka is awake, new difficulties were threatening to surface.

Natsume let out an exasperated sigh and set his clipboard down on the floor next to his chair. "Listen to me." Ruka turned to him. "You had no obligation to care for her as me leaving did not leave it your duty."

"What-"

"But," Natsume interjected. He had to swallow his large ball of pride for his next words. "Thank you for what you did for her. I appreciate it a lot and I apologize for its effects on you."

The unexpected apology definitely startled Ruka a bit. "O-Oh . . . I see now. You're still in love with her."

Natsume remained mute but the both of them knew the answer without him saying anything.

* * *

 _knock knock_

"It's me," a familiar female voice spoke.

"Mikan?" Ruka whipped his head in the direction of the door, surprised when he saw his wife entering. He frowned upon noticing her not meeting his gaze. "What are you doing here?" he questioned.

Mikan hesitantly pulled up a seat and set it on the other side of the patient bed and then sat down, head hung low.

"I heard about your accident and needed to see if you were okay," she spoke in a quiet voice.

Ruka's fists tightened in his lap. "Didn't realize you still cared about me, considering how we left things off."

Still not looking up at him, Mikan bit her lip. Whatever words she wanted to speak were finding difficulty to unscramble themselves.

"I . . ." She couldn't muster the courage that was characteristic of her personality. For some reason, being confronted by him made her unable to speak.

"Say something," Ruka's hoarse voice squeaked out. "Please," he continued, pleading with her.

Her shoulders started to shake and tears rolled down Mikan's rosy cheeks, the droplets hitting the back of her hand. "I am so, so sorry," she whispered. "I'm really sorry."

"You should not apologize to me."

"I have to!" Mikan's voice got louder. "After all, I am such a terrible wife to you that you ended up running to someone else."

"She isn't just someone else. She's your best friend," Ruka inserted. "And nothing justified my actions," he added.

Mikan wiped her tears and sniffled. "Just like you and Natsume, she and I have not been on good terms and you already are aware. You fell in love with her because I couldn't show you true love."

A crushing sense of guilt rammed hard into Ruka's chest. He carefully reached out to her and patted her head gently. "Mikan, stop blaming yourself."

"I know you were upset when I stopped returning your affections after our wedding night. But I have to be honest with you. I could not stop remembering the times I had with Natsume, comparing them to my time with you."

"I already know all this. That's why I rarely pressured you to do anything with me. I would never make you do anything you did not like." Ruka assured her. "Even if it killed me."

Mikan's head shot up. "Is that what drove you off the cliff?"

"No!" Ruka shouted. "No," he repeated softer.

"Can you answer me one question?" Mikan said and continued when she received a nod. "Were you with Hotaru that day?"

There was a long pause before Ruka responded again with a, "No."

The tears once again began falling and Mikan squeaked out, "Liar." She reached into her purse and pulled out her cellphone. After tapping the screen a few times, she turned the screen to face Ruka. "She called me right after I texted her that you were awake and confessed to me what I had a hunch about."

"Let me explain," Ruka started but got cut off.

"She told me you were upset after she broke things off with you. So in your anger, you must have driven carelessly and ended up going over the cliff." Mikan placed her phone back in her purse. "Is that the truth?"

"Yes," Ruka confessed.

"Huh . . ." Mikan huffed. "I guess we'll have to give our statements to the investigators so they can close the case."

"That is right."

Mikan smiled at him and stood up. "I really did try to love you as much as you did me. But I think we should go our separate ways." It was for the best for the both of them when they clearly did not love each other as they should being a married couple. Their hearts were held by other people. Ruka gave her a faint smile and watched as she proceeded to walk out the room and out of his life.

* * *

Natsume felt stirring beside him on the bed and he slowly opened his eyes to gaze down upon the beautiful woman sleeping in his arms. Finally, he had her permanently back in his life and he was more than happy. He was ecstatic, on cloud nine. Never in the ten years he spent in solitude did he think that one day, he and this woman he loved so much would be together again.

The process of getting back together proved to be a challenge due to the interference of two overprotective older men that doted on their favorite junior. They made it clear to Natsume their disdain for him and did everything within their power to keep them apart. It got to the point where he and Mikan could only contact one another through the barrier of friends until Natsume could not take it any longer. He wanted to see her and in order to do that, he must confess the reason why he left in spite of the awkwardness. The group initially still did not budge but after analyzing the situation, they came to the conclusion to leave the two alone.

Natsume really loved her and they would respect that. That is not to say they did not leave him with any warnings not to pull the wool over them. A second disappearing act warranted complete exile.

After successfully getting them to let him be, Natsume wasted no time in moving back to Tokyo. He and Mikan got a small apartment together and turned in nuptial documents to officiate their union. Never mind a wedding, just being together is all they wanted. And Natsume was perfectly content with that.

Taking Ruka and Hotaru into consideration, the two of them eventually reconciled and were respectively working on their friendship with Natsume and Mikan.

"Why are you just staring?" Mikan giggled at her husband, pulling him out of his thoughts. She wrapped an arm around his waist and scouted closer to his body. She enjoyed the warmth radiating off of his body.

"Just how nice this life here with you is," Natsume said, kissing her forehead. His fingers lazily played with strands of her hair.

"It is nice," Mikan agreed. She soon fell back into her slumber, Natsume following after her.

* * *

 **Ending Note** : Yes, this chapter was rushed a lot. Mostly because I completely forgot about the story and I wanted it to be over with. Since I did not write down most of the plot I originally had in mind for this chapter, I forgot a lot of it and just typed what I could remember. So it may come off as a half-baked chapter. Thank you, however, for still reading this mess!

 **Proof-read** : 3/21/2017

 **Author: Napperon**


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